MMA champions Patricio Pitbull and Roberto Satoshi have agreed to fight opponents Chihiro Suzuki and Patricky Pitbull, respectively, on short notice in a weekend event in Japan.
MMA champions often steer clear of short-notice fights, given the potential for loss and setback, even if their title is not necessarily at stake. However, this isn’t the case for Patricio Pitbull and Roberto Satoshi. Both the Bellator featherweight and RIZIN lightweight titleholders agreed to fight Chihiro Suzuki and Patricky Pitbull respectively on short notice at the weekend’s events in Saitama, Japan. The call for the catchweight bouts came with less than a week’s notice, with Satoshi stepping in for A.J. McKee and the other match being assembled last minute.
Patricio Pitbull himself has made it clear that he is always ready for a fight. Speaking on his short-notice match-up against Suzuki amid the Super RIZIN 2 event, he expressed confidence despite Suzuki’s reputation as a formidable kickboxer. Pitbull, who noted his continuous training routine, previously challenged for the RIZIN featherweight title, unsuccessfully attempting to become a three-division titleholder in Bellator this past June. Despite losing to Sergio Perris, he stated that he was back in the gym a week after the five-round contest.
Satoshi’s last fight occurred in May, where he won a unanimous decision over Spike Carlyle in a non-title match, enhancing his record to 8-2 under the RIZIN banner. He confessed to having wanted to fight Patricky Pitbull, despite holding him and others in high regard for their history. Satoshi acknowledged the challenge of the match-up, considering his opponent had a long preparation time whilst he accepted with just six days notice. However, he remained optimistic and focused on his own skills, disregarding the specific strategies often adopted when preparing for specific opponents.
Nevertheless, it’s undeniable that both fighters are stepping into somewhat unfamiliar territory. Patricky Pitbull, whilst he underwent a lengthy camp, was training for an entirely different opponent, McKee, whose fighting style significantly differs from Satoshi’s. However, he remains steadfast in his objective, expressing his determination to beat Satoshi, despite him being a fellow Brazilian, in order to advance to the tournament semifinal where Alexander Shabliy awaits.